That plan to step up the content marketing this year is a smart move, since content is going to continue to play an ever-growing role in how brands connect with their audiences.

Since the launch of ContentMarketer.io, I’ve relied heavily on content marketing to generate over 4,500 customers and secure quality press (i.e. branding & backlinks) to my company. Beyond the business it generates, I also use content marketing to educate and nurture my customers.

Many brands – both large and small – see the same kind of results from their efforts. If you’re not among the group that plans to start producing more content in 2016, you may want to reconsider for a few reasons.

Content needs to be tailored to different platforms

With the variety of platforms available for engagement and publishing, content marketing isn’t really a one-size-fits-all game. It’s not as simple as posting a blog on your website and sharing it out to your social channels.

Not only does content need to differ across various platforms, but there’s a need for different tones across those platforms, as well.

The kind of content you create, and even the tone you use on your blog, isn’t likely to fit with the type of content you’re going to publish to Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope, and even the new audio app Anchor.

When you’re crafting your content strategy, you need to carefully select the platforms that best connect you to your audience and then define a strategy for each.

Written content is still going to be effective, but there’s a continued evolution in how people digest content and there’s a lot of trending toward video – especially with the growing popularity of services like Snapchat, Periscope, Instagram video, and the addition of native video in Facebook.

You need to think about how you can incorporate other content formats into your strategy if your focus up to this point has been primarily on written content.

Owned content will get a lot more focus

In 2015, there was an increase in the number of publishers opening up to “custom publishing” models that allowed brands to purchase content space.

This kind of paid content, according to The New York Times, “can generate significant audience engagement, on par with some editorial content on NYTimes.com and other publisher sites.”

As more brands see the effectiveness of content, their confidence is going to increase – and I believe we’ll begin to see more content production leaning toward owned content. Meaning, more brands (like your competitors) are going to host their own high-quality, value-focused, and interesting content on their own online properties.

At the same time, they’ll continue to utilize those paid partner sites for publishing. The result will be more engaging content put in front of the end consumer.

Whether those brands are competitors or not, that level of content marketing is going to generate distraction that could pull attention from you if you’re not producing with a broader approach to content marketing.

People respond better to storytelling

If the bulk of your content comes in the form of tips, advice, and value-centric information – that’s great. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re headed in the right direction by focusing on providing valuable, evergreen content to your audience.

But you need to do more.

The rise in video content with the platforms I mentioned above is creating a desire for more personalized connections. People love that real, human connection they can have with brands. It provides an opportunity to tell stories.

According to a Nielsen study, people crave that personal connection. You can enhance that connection by doubling down on the storytelling.

I think Ann Handley makes a smart point when she says that good content isn’t just about storytelling – it’s about telling a truly connective story well.

Think about some of the content you’ve seen cross social media channels in just the last few months. This video from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels put the audience into the cockpit of a Blue Angels flight using a free-movement 360-degree camera. You can play with your mouse to move the view all over.

The Oculus Rift and other VR tech will be hitting the market this year as well, with the potential to turn VR from a geek’s wish-list item into a must-have for everyone.

These are all ways that technology is presenting you with new opportunities to engage your customer, but those are just a few examples. The potential is so much greater than just VR. Don’t wait for new technology to have been out for more than a year before you start adopting it for content marketing.

Start thinking right now about how you can produce more content on new and emerging technology platforms. Then, you can be the first to leverage them over your competitors.

Content marketing may require an expanded team

Creating content isn’t easy. There’s certainly no shortage of freelance content marketers out there who can write, but you don’t want average content. You want robust content based on a strategy that makes an emotional connection with your audience.

You want content that can be plugged into different platforms, is more likely to get shared and promoted, and provides epic levels of value.

That’s not easy to do on your own. If you can’t double down on your content production, then you may need to expand your team.

Local resources like Built In NYC can help you get connected with workers in your area, or you can plug into sites like Freelancer and ProBlogger to find global freelancers who can help you with content production.

Whatever you do, don’t rest on your laurels and put off the work just because of limitations on time or skill. There are resources available to help you double down on your content marketing and produce some amazing content this year.

Are you planning to produce more content this year? What platforms will you focus on? Share your thoughts in the comments below: